Srinagar: For the first time, a Kashmiri girl has been selected as a Schwarzman Scholar, one of the world’s most prestigious graduate fellowships in the world.
Parsa Mufti is the first person from Jammu and Kashmir to be selected for this programme, one of only five Indians selected this year.
Schwarzman Scholars has an acceptance rate of only 3%, making it is one of the most competitive scholarships in the world.
Parsa is a lawyer and political strategist, and works for the Samruddha Bharat Foundation in New Delhi, where she works with leaders across various political parties. She also heads The Tryst, which has more than 3.9 lakh subscribers on YouTube.
Schwarzman Scholars, located at Schwarzman College on the campus of Tsinghua University in Beijing, announced its seventh cohort. From an initial pool of nearly 3,000 applicants, the admissions team selected 151 Schwarzman Scholars from 33 countries and 106 universities.
Each year, up to 200 future leaders from the U.S., China and the rest of the world matriculate as Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University in Beijing to pursue a one-year Master’s Degree. Scholars chosen for this highly selective program have demonstrated exemplary leadership qualities and the potential to understand and bridge cultural and political differences.
The Schwarzman Scholars Class of 2023, which will enroll in August 2022, is comprised of an exceptional group of individuals, including a Scholar who won NASA’s design competition, a member of the Canadian Prime Minister’s Youth Council, several candidates on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List, a founder of an AI-powered investment platform, a founder of a nonprofit that delivered 20,000 pounds of fresh food to frontline workers during COVID-19, a Scholar recognized as one of the 9 most influential women under 25 in New Zealand, a founder of an AI startup to improve the communication skills of people with autism, a Scholar who founded his own spacecraft systems company at 15, the managing Director of the Oxford Strategy Group among others.
“The seventh cohort is an impressive group,” said Stephen A. Schwarzman, Founding Trustee of Schwarzman Scholars. “The world needs Schwarzman Scholars now more than ever before. We are confident that these extraordinary young people will seize this opportunity to act with intellect and integrity, address pressing global issues, deepen cross-cultural connections, and fulfill the mission of Schwarzman Scholars: to create a steadfast network of future global leaders.”
Scholars were selected through a rigorous application process designed to identify leadership potential, intellect, and strength of character. Over 400 candidates were invited to interview virtually in Beijing, London, New York or Singapore. Candidates from 55 countries spoke with panels of CEOs, government officials, university presidents, journalists, and non-profit executives, among others.
“This year’s application process was incredibly competitive,” said Cordel Faulk, Director of Global Admissions. “The accomplishments of the admitted class speak for themselves. This group of young people is nothing less than extraordinary. We are all very excited to welcome these next generation leaders into the Schwarzman Scholars community. This is a vital moment in global affairs that needs them.”